Over 20 years of writing about my club in Barnet matchday programmes, which sold to about 500 souls on a good day, now with this Blog Site everyone can read my ramblings, memories, interviews, experiences, features, guides to away grounds and pure love of everything Barnet Football Club. Enjoy and digest and tell your friends.
Reckless - Potters Bar March 2014.
Oh Yes, thank you to"Al" without whom.......that is all

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BEN STREVENS

Next
in the spotlight is a forward who is the ultimate players player.

Benjamin
John Stevens was born in Edgware in May 1980. He joined Wingate and
Finchley in the Isthmian League as a 17 year old and came to the
attention of John Still at Barnet after a bout of prolific goal
scoring. Still monitored young Ben's development until his 28 goals
in the 1998-99 season finally secured him a permanent move to
Underhill in January of 1999.

Ben
was first used as a late substitute option by Still in most games and
was also loaned out to St Albans, Slough Town and his old club for
match fitness as the competition for the two striker positions at the
club was tough – Marlon King, Kenny Charlery and Scott McGleish
were all ahead in the pecking order.

His
Bees debut came at Chester City in August 1999 as part of the
following line up that won 2-0 with goals from Charlery and Mark
Arber;

That
squad eventually lost in the Semi-final of the Play-offs to
Colchester United.

The
following season Ben began to make his mark although first team
starts were still limited especially after the arrival of Tony
Cottee, Tony Richards and later Omer Riza. However Ben made 36
appearances (including substitutions) in all scoring four times in a
seemingly, to Ben anyway, alien, deeper supporting position which he
adapted to very quickly. We can now reflect that he was never really
given the benefit of the doubt with Barnet supporters at first,
because we all assumed he would naturally continue with his
goalscoring role. However John Still and later Paul Fairclough both
felt that a midfield position would better suit his temperament and
this experience is probably one of the the main reasons while he is
still playing so well in his mid 30's.

The
team were relegated at the end of that season but it did give the
opportunity for him to support the likes of Neil Midgley and Wayne
Purser in the 2001/2 season in the Vauxhall Conference. Ben scored a
brilliant first half hatrick at Nuneaton Borough in the November and
had a fine all round season scoring 12 times in 34 appearances.

In
2002/3 under the guidance of Peter Shreeves and Martin Allen, Ben was
allowed a more forward role partnered by the prolific Junior Agogo
who scored 20 goals. “Ben is a great player to have alongside you”
said Junior at the time. Ben made 23 starts scoring 9 goals in what
was a disappointing 11th
place finish for the club in the Conference.

In
2003 the arrival of goal machine Giuliano Grazioli was the next stage
in Strevens' development. Graz has always said “The perfect partner
for me every time is Ben Strevens and every player who has played in
the same team as Ben will all tell you they would always want him
involved because he is the type of player that gives you a comfort
factor, a reliable team mate. He was without doubt was a massive
factor in my success at Underhill. We became great friends too”.
Manager Martin Allen was genuinely full of praise for Ben when he
told me. “If fit he will always be a player who will be entered on
the team sheet in pen not pencil”.

The
Bees finally finished 4th
in the table and were rewarded with a Play-off semi final against
Shrewsbury Town. On a tense evening at Underhill in the first leg Ben
had a game to remember confidently putting away a first half penalty
before Simon Clist scored a dramatic winner in injury time. In the
2nd
leg Barnet narrowly lost 5-3 on penalties after extra time and a 1-0
scoreline at full time.

2004/5
was the Conference winning season for Barnet, Ben playing a massive
part in proceedings reverting mainly to a midfield role supporting
Richard Graham or behind strikers Grazioli and Liam Hatch. Manager
Paul Fairclough had a richness of talent to chose from as Ben would
be alongside the likes of Dean Sinclair, Nicky Bailey and Dwane Lee
in midfield, halcyon days indeed.

Grazioli and Strevens

A
further 41 appearances in 2005/6 and six goals was decorated by the
League Cup tie at Manchester United's Old Trafford. “The most
exciting day of my life” said Ben.

His
final appearance coincidently was just as in his debut at Chester
City on Saturday 22nd
April 2006 in the following line up:

Much
to the surprise of the Barnet faithful, who by now had more than
warmed to Strevens and considered him a vital component in the side,
he moved in a free transfer to Crawley Town in late April - and
scored on his debut for them! Even now it seemed strange that he
should move at that time and perhaps we will never get to know the
real circumstances behind it.

The
facts are that Ben was as popular at future clubs Crawley, Dagenham &
Redbridge, where he has had two spells, Brentford Wycombe and
Gillingham just as at Underhill and regarded as a players player in
every team. His latest club is Eastleigh where he signed during this
summer joining ex Bees Damien Batt, Ross Flitney, Craig McAllister
and Glen Southam. At the time of writing they are top of the table in
the Skrill League South.

At
33, Ben still has a good few years left in his legs by all accounts
and has amassed some 600 appearances so far in his career. He is one
of the players in our history who will be remembered for his strength
in footballing character rather than flamboyant skills and acrobatics
and his contribution to our success in the mid 2000's should never be
underestimated.